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A. J. MARTIN. Electric-Lighting Apparatus.

No. 223,524. Patented Jan. 13, 1880.

GRAPH ,wAsmNGTON D C PATENT OFFICE.

` ABRAM J. MARTIN, OF OATSKILL, NEVI YORK.

ELECTRIC-LlGHTlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,524, dated January 1S, 1880.

Application tiled February 24, 1879.

To all whomnit may concern Be it known that l, ABRAM J'. MARTIN, of Catskill, in the county of Greene and State ot" New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Lighting Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is applicable to electriclight ing apparatus otl various kint s, but is part-icularly intended for use in connection with apparatus in which the candle or illuminating device consists of a portion of a closed electric circuit having less conductivitv than the remainder of the circuit, and whicn f'ill become heated to a point ofincandeseence by the resistance oiiered to the passage ot" the current. In apparatus of this kind the candle or illuminating device has been liable to injury, and often destroyed by overheating.

rlhe object of this invention is to provide-tor automaticaily regulating the intensity ci the current of electricity, so as to prevent the candie or illuminating device from being overheated, and to produce a steady light ot' uni form brightness.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, with the main circuit et' an electric lamp orlamps, one or more b auch circuits, and circuit-closing devices consisting ot' pins having points of uil'ferent projection connected with resistance-coils, of an electro-magnet, a

movable core therefor, and a plate conneced with said movable core, whereby the said circuit-closing devices are operated.

It also consists in details and combinations of parts hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a central vertical section oi'. an electric lamp embodying my improvements. Fie. 2 represents a horizontal section thereof on the dotted line a' m, Fic'. l; and Fig. 3, a per spective view ot' certain parts thereof.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the circuit through which the main current ot electricity passes. This circuit eXtends from the positive pele ol" abat tery (not here represented) to the 1pinning-post B, thence to a magnet, C, which. may consist of one or more helices, two being here, represented. represented the circuit as comprised of an After leaving thel magnet, l have up\\ardlyextending portion, A', and a downwardlyextending portion, A2, both ot' which may consist olf rods or bars ot' metal, which are here represented as secured rigidly in the base-plate ot the lamp. A portion, A3, of the circuit passes from thc rod A2 through the bindingpest B' to the negative pole of the battery. The candle or illuminating device `is represented as consisting ot a piece et' platinum wire, A4, placed in the upwardlyextcnding portion A' of the main circuit. As the portion A possesses conductivity than the remaindtr ot the circuit, the resistance ot't'ered to the current will cause the portion A to become incandescent and emit light.

To protect the candleorillnminating device Vfrom injury, l have represented it as inclosed in a glass cylinder, rt, supported by the baseplate D.

Ls an increase in the intensity ot' the current et' electricityT might injure or possibly destroy the candle er illuminating device rrl, it is very desirable that the intensity et the cur rent passing through the main circuit should be automatically regulated, and I will now proceed to describe the means for effecting the same.

F designates a plate having a conductingface, u, and an insulated hack, b. This plate is preferably hinged to the support oi' the lamp at c, and is connected with the positive pole ot' the battery by a connection, G, extending te the binding-post l.

d. d d'l d designate a series ot' pins ot' dit'- t'ercnt lengths arranged in asupport or plate, H, so as to project more or less beyond the support or plate, and capable of longitudinal adjustment therein. The pin d is, represented as longest and the pin d as snortest. T ese pins are each held in place by means et )rings h, which impinge against their onus and prevent them from becoming displaced.

vFrein each et the pins d d d? extend connections c c c, which are connected with resistance-coils /`fj'2, and which are then connected with binding-pest B and vthe negative pole of the Lattery by means ot connections g gy g2. 'ihe pin d:E is represented as connected with the binding-post B by means ol' the connection ed'.

By swinging' the plate F toward he pins IOO jury by overheating.

ble armatures may be substituted forthemagcontact made with them one after another, and a series of branch circuits are thus formed for conveying` a greater or less proportion of the main current ot' electricity, and thereby diminishing the intensity ot' said main current. Vfheu the plate F is swungoversufiicicntly to touch the piu d3 the entire current is carried ott' through the connection e3, and the light is extinguished.

In order to effect the automatic swinging ot' the plate Il as the current increases ordiminishes, I connect it with the core C ol" the magnet C, so that when the said core is drawn inward by the intensity ot' the main current the plate F is swung over so as to touch one or more of the pins d d d2 d3, and thereby complete one or more branch circuits, Ator returning a greater or less proportion ot' the main current to the battery without passing through the magnet. U. The intensity of the main current is thereby diminished, and the candle or illuminating device Af* is preserved from in- I `prefer to support the core C of the magnet O so as to bc t'ree to move with little friction, and have here repr sented it asV supported by means of suspending-rods fij,.the rod t' being` pivoted to suitable supports 7c, and the rod j being pivoted to the plate F, and insulated therefrom by means of the lock b.

If desirable, electro-magnets having movanet and movable core here represented.

In order to insure the proper return ot the plate F when the intensity ot' the main circuit is diminished by the action ofthe branch circuits, I have represented a spring', I, as coiled upon a rod, J, and impinging against the core U to force it back. in lieu of a spring, any equivalent device-such, for instance, as a weight-may be employed.

.In order to properly regulate the resistance ejtii'ered by he spring I to the 'forward movements otA the core C', I have shown the rod. J as provided with a screw-thread and a nut, Z, against which one end ot' the sl'iring I imA pinges. When the rod J is turned the nutiis prevented from being turned also by guiderods m m, and hence is adjusted longitudinally upon the rod, and the resistance offered by the spring' I correspondingly increased or diminished.

It' it is desired to use the lamp with a weak electric current, it may be 'preferable to conneet the conducting-tace a ot" theplate F with the wire A of the circuit, in which case the current would pass from the magnet to the plate I", and thence to' the candle or illuminating device, instead ot' directly t'rom the magnet to the candle.

To properly protect parts ot' tbelamp, I pro- Yvide a case, K, extending downward from the baseplate D, and inclosing` such parts.

By my invention the candle or illuminating device is protected from injury by overheat ing, and the light radiated therefrom is ot' uni- 'form brightness.

My improvements may with advantage be embodied in apparatus for heating small spaces by electricity, and for any other purpose where it is desired to maintain a curient ot' uniform intensity.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with the main circuit of an electric lamp or lamps, one or more branch circuits, and circuit-closing devices consisting oi" pins having points ot' different projection connected with resistance-coils,otl an electro-magnet, a movable core thereior, and a plate conne :ted with said movable core, whereby thc said circuit-closing devices are operated, substantially as speciii'ed.

2. The con'ibination ot' the magnet (l, core C', spring I, rod J, suspending-rods 'i j, and plate F, substantially as speciiied.

" rlhe con'ibination olf the pins d d. d'l d,

L). connections c c c2 ci, resistz'tuce-coils ff A' conneetionsg g g2, swingingl plate F, with its connection G, and magnet, with its movable core C' connected to said swinging plaie, substantially as specified.

ALRAM J. MARTIN.

Witnesses FREDERICK SALnsBUaY, Mortns ifmNsFinLn. 

